Shower laden winds pushing over the Queensland coast are expected to wind into a cyclone over the Coral Sea by the weekend, though the heaviest rain is likely before then.
WeatherZone has observed a low currently just visible off the Tropical coast district near Cooktown that will deepen significantly by Thursday night, bringing continuing rain for the coast north of about Mackay - already today South Johnstone has picked up 68mm.
Falls of 100mm are possible, widespread 50mm falls are likely, as the low wraps tropical moisture around itself and up, over the coast into an upper trough, forming thick cloud and heavy rain.
The low could develop into a Tropical Cyclone as early as Thursday night, which would make it the second over Australian waters - Tropical Cyclone Ilsa sits to the northwest of WA.
After Thursday there is some inconsistency between models as to what the low will do, but it looks likely to stay well off the coast and track south.
This means some heavy showers would spread south to the NSW border during Friday and Saturday, while tropical regions will see a drying trend.
On Sunday, the system should move further away again, causing a drying trend over the whole of east Queensland.
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